Getting Here

The market sets up in theRieke Elementary parking lot in Portland, Oregon. Parking is available at both entrances. Fom Capital Highway: enter at Sunset Blvd and turn left into the lot along the Wilson High School track bleachers. From Vermont St: parking is allowed along the north side of Vermont as well as the south end of the Rieke Elementary parking lot.

It's time to start thinking about the garden again. Garden Color return this Sunday and will have hellebores and succulents. Perennial Obsessions is a new nursery vendor specializing in sedums and sempervivums. Sun Gold Farm will have fruit trees, plant starts and succulents. Gales Meadow Farm isn't quite ready but will be at the April 8th market.

This is the last session of the winter season. The market returns on April 8th, the beginning of the spring season. We'll be running weekly from April 8 through November 18. The market hours will change back to 9:00am-1:00pm for the weekly season.

CSAs At The Market

Five farms attending the market offer CSA (community supported agriculture) subscriptions. CSA members pick up weekly shares of fruits and vegetables grown on the farm. The shares vary with the seasons. One farm, Red Bird Acres, is offering a chicken share, so there is a meat option too. Here’s the list of farms offering CSA pickup at the Hillsdale Farmers Market this year with a link to each farm's CSA page:

Ashwagandha: The Great Unclencher

You may have noticed a new addition at the Hillsdale Farmers Market this year - the Portland Ashwagandha Farm. We’ve gotten lots of questions about this product at the Info Booth (and more than one comment that it sounds like a type of yoga!), so we sat down with their farmer, Jeff, to learn more. Ashwagandha is an herb used for centuries as a rejuvenator and nerve tonic that has become widely regarded as an “adaptogen”, a natural substance that helps the body respond to stressors. In the modern world, this is invaluable! The purported benefits* of Ashwagandha include better sleep, lower stress, reduced anxiety, less inflammation, hormone balance, and more. When Jeff tells you that he is “in it for the ‘goosebumps’, not the money”, you believe him. The purpose at Portland Ashwagandha Farm is to educate and create a language of healing, so anything extra is a bonus! Stop by their booth, and his team will regale you with stories that are equal parts science, personal testimonials, and magic. “People come back because it changed their lives” Jeff says. By relaxing the body, Ashwagandha helps users to unclench - meaning more energy for work, play, or relaxation. Not to mention that Ashwagandha is one of the world’s most widely studied plants - there are over 950 PubMed scientific articles about the plant, with more coming every day. It helps the team to pay homage to this ancient Ayurvedic tradition while applying the scientific analysis that we consumers have come to expect. The tinctures sold by Portland Ashwagandha are made primarily from the plant’s root - and processing it takes a lot of work! Plants seeded in March aren’t harvested until October, which is when they begin their unique fresh (not dried) preparation. After harvest, the roots are first run through a modified wood chipper to break down their cell walls. Then, they are infused in a mix of ethanol & water for a minimum of five months at which point they are pressed to extract the Ashwagandha tincture. Once pressed the root is burned and the resulting sal ts & ash are returned to the tincture for a final distillation. This intensive process ensures that Portland Ashwagandha’s products are of the highest quality. And, they’re growing! Jeff has brought on new staff and expanded from two to three leases of land this year. They will also be rolling out a redesign of their packaging this spring and hope to expand their product line to include three to five formulations. But, their goal will always be to prepare and present Ashwagandha in its highest possible form. Learn more about Portland Ashwagandha Farm by visiting their website or, even better, stopping by their booth for a free sample and chat!*These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before consuming this product, especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing medical conditions.